Brewster Ladies' Library Reception for Earth, Air, Fire and Water: The Art of Jennifer Stratton

As a child, creativity was instinctual, an extension of who Jennifer Stratton was. It was joyful, fun, and a way to process and connect her inner and outer worlds. Then, as a teenager, art somewhat devolved into a material goal; there were skills to learn, judgments to be made, futures discussed. The joy began to seep out. She put a hold on that part of her life until her later twenties, at which time her visual art process came back as a way out of some dark times. It became part of her inner healing, a way to reconnect with her more authentic self. Now art and creativity are a multifaceted experience: a mix of childlike joy and a way to make sense of a complex world. Jennifer's work ranges from a free and expressive style to a more observant realistic approach. She has found fulfillment through both personal creativity and also by bringing creative opportunities to others, helping others discover themselves through art. Art has become a sacred pathway and a transformative journey.

Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Ether came out of a recent period of trying to figure out what theme to tackle next. Jennifer likes having themes. They give her a focus. It began with her doing more abstract views of nature and then morphed into touching on all the elements and exploring the many facets of each one. Nature has always been a go-to subject of hers and exploring it from this premise felt inspirational.